Photo by Rachel Claire from Pexels

The summer season is potentially the most profitable time of year for a food truck company. There are more outdoor events, and people naturally spend more time outside in the hot and sunny weather.

However, if you are unprepared, you could miss out on huge business opportunities. Fortunately, you can take several key steps to ensure you work efficiently and maximize your profits.

Read on for 4 essential summer season food truck tips and tricks.

Prepare for the Season

Because the weather is more favorable, you could be attending events and posting up at outdoor locations every day during summertime. It’s important to look after your health by keeping your air conditioning unit in good mint. 

Also, you can’t afford for fridges or ice makers to stop working in the heat. Food could go off more quickly, in which case you might have to leave a busy location early. You don’t want to miss out on those potential sales! It’s important to check these appliances before and after every use.

Cleanliness is vital for a food truck business. While it’s crucial for your appearance, it’s even more important for food safety. Use a food truck cleaning list to ensure you don’t miss any areas, and give your truck a deep clean before the busy season. 

By keeping a regular maintenance routine, you can make sure your truck is ready for the whole season.

Look Out for Events

There are endless opportunities to attend music concerts, sporting events, outdoor cinemas, and other popular events in the summertime.

Try to free up some time each week to go onto Facebook groups, local authority websites, and even check on shop noticeboards. Form relationships with other business owners who can keep you in the loop about local events.

If you can find an opportunity your competitors don’t know about, you could make a healthy profit and boost your reputation within the local community.

Seasonal Menu for your Food Truck Company 

Choosing a menu isn’t quite as simple as offering what you think customers might like in warmer weather. You also need to consider current popular trends! And you might want to keep in mind that summer is also diet season for some people. 

Look online to see what’s popular. You may find a new juice drink or a popular type of Mediterranean salad that is all the rage.

You can install new equipment for different foods and beverages before it’s time to meet your hungry customers. This can give you an edge over your competition. 

Connect With Customers

An important step when connecting with the modern-day customer is to advertise on social media. Regularly take high-quality photographs of your food and post them on multiple platforms.

Many businesses think this is enough, but the best food trucks take it further. Post questions about what people want to eat to get engagement. If you offer healthy meals, explain why it is good for the customer.

The more detailed information you provide, the more likely a customer will choose your food truck for their needs.

Don’t Get Beat by the Summer Heat

Don’t let summer go by without taking advantage of the benefits it holds for your food truck company. 

Want to expand your food truck fleet or open your first truck? Contact us for a free quote on your custom truck!

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The post 4 Valuable Summer Season Preparation Tips for Your Food Truck Company appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Are you an aspiring food truck chef? 

If so, you might be wondering how these mobile eateries select their themes and plan their menus. 

In this article, we’ll share our top tips for planning and preparation. And, we’ll help you decide what to serve! Keep reading for more information.

Incorporate Familiar Foods

Not every guest at your eatery will be looking for fun and trendy menu items. Some people will be looking for basic foods and classic menu items that they recognise. 

Simple dishes like a sandwich, a burger and fries, chicken fingers, or a garden salad might appeal best to these clients. Of course, you’ll want to add your own creative twists to the dish, but don’t go crazy!

Having one meal that appeals to picky eaters and kids is an excellent idea.

Think Outside the Box

Don’t be afraid to add an item to your menu, just because it doesn’t fit in with your theme. Instead, introduce these dishes as specials or limited-time offerings.

It’s ok to color outside the lines from time to time, and if a menu item doesn’t sell well as a special, you can easily remove it from the list. 

You can also consider fusion cooking—the combination of multiple culinary backgrounds to create a totally unique dish. 

Seasonal Eating

If you want to attract customers all year round, you might want to create a seasonal food truck menu. 

For example, you might want to serve a pumpkin spiced dish or two during fall months. Or, add a comforting cup of soup to the menu during wintertime.

Seasonal eating is more than just a trend. Serving each month’s produce at its peak ripeness is healthy, sustainable, and will keep your menu sounding fresh to new guests during every season. 

Add a Unique Twist

If you’re running a classic eatery like a sandwich food truck, you’ll need to make your menu stand out from the competition.

Consider using some interesting or exotic ingredients to spice up basic menu items. This could be something small—like adding an unexpected garnish or sauce. Or, a far-out idea that takes food truck food to the next level!

It’s your restaurant, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Bottoms Up

Even if your main food truck themes focus on food, you’ll need to add a few beverages to your menu. That way, guests can enjoy a complete meal at your eatery, rather than going elsewhere for a drink.

Consider your climate, location, and client base before adding a drink menu.

In some places, you might need special permitting for drinks like beer and wine. And, depending on the weather in your area, you might be better off serving hot drinks like coffee and tea. 

Think Like a Food Truck Chef

Now that you’ve got some menu inspiration, it’s time to think like a food truck chef and start planning that menu!

And, if you haven’t purchased your truck yet, now is the perfect time to contact us for a free quote request. Our team of industry experts is standing by to help!

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The post How Do Food Truck Chefs Plan Their Menus? appeared first on Custom Concessions.

Photo by Arthur Edelman on Unsplash

Did you know that Americans eat out 5.9 times a week? Change up your food truck menu to entice new customers and keep old ones happy.

Want to learn more? Keep reading to find out.

1. Take a Look at Your Competitors

When you’re creating or changing your menu, take some time to check out your competition’s menu. See how they present their dishes and what ones they offer. What are their marketing efforts?

You can start to figure out how your food truck can offer items that other restaurants or trucks don’t. See if you can offer a lower price, or provide more variety on your menu.

2. Add a Popular Meal to Your Food Truck Menu

If you’re new to the industry, don’t worry, you can increase your revenue with this tip. Add a food item like a BLT, ribs, or hotdogs to your menu.

If you have more unusual food on your menu, add a staple item. This way, picky eaters can still find something to eat at your truck.

3. Try Seasonal Food Items

If you want customers to visit your food truck throughout the year, have specials for each season. You won’t have to change your entire menu. Instead, add one unique dish, drink or dessert. Or one of each!

You could add savory soups for the winter months, and a delicious cold dessert for the summer.

4. Stand out from the Crowd

When making your menu, think about the type of food you will serve and see how you can add a twist.

For example, if you’re serving Indian food, you could always add a fusion version of a popular item to your menu, like a chicken tikka pizza or a curry burger.

Consider adding a few interesting side dishes to your menu for customer just looking for a snack, or for people to add onto their meal as a combo.

5. What About Drinks?

A lot of food trucks don’t spend much time on picking out unique beverages. Don’t let this opportunity slip away. You want every item on your menu to stand out, even drinks.

Consider having homemade drinks like smoothies, teas, or shakes alongside pop and juice. If you are serving ethnic food, make sure to have some traditional drinks to complement the food.

6. The Design of Your Menu

Try and add your menu items in the order of potential customers’ dining experience. You can start with appetizers, soups, and salads. Then follow these with the entrees and desserts.

If you have super popular items, highlight these dishes with a different text color or a star next to the name. This will draw your customers’ attention and point out special dishes that you would recommend.

Perhaps the most important thing about your menu design is the presentation of food photography. Consider incorporating an appetizing photo of any unusual dishes so customers can get an idea of what they’re ordering. Fear of the unknown is what most often deters customers from trying new things, so showing them what the dish looks like will be one step to helping them overcome that hesitation.

Contact Us Today

We hope you found this guide on menus helpful. Don’t forget to have your menu posted online somewhere that your customers can easily discover your delicious dishes, and be sure to post updates when you have specials or limited-time options! 

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

Stay up to date on everything Custom Concessions has to offer! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The post How to Increase Revenue by Changing Your Food Truck Menu appeared first on Custom Concessions.